Canada

Yes

Transport Canada under the Aeronautics Act and the Canadian Aviation Regulations.

Yes

There are three regulatory regimes in place for UAS:

• Non-recreational users (e.g. commercial users) are required to obtain a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC);
• Recreational users (i.e. modelers) are required to operate according to the terms of Interim Order No. 8 Respecting the Use of Model Aircraft (the “Interim Order”);
• Recreational users who are members of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada (MAAC) are exempted from the conditions of

the Interim Order as long as they comply with MAAC operating rules and fly at MAAC sanctioned sites/events.

Yes, the Canadian regulations apply only to non-autonomous UAS.

The regulations vary according to use (recreational vs commercial) and weight.

Yes

The operation of model aircraft that are used for recreational purposes with total weight not exceeding 35 kg (77.2 pounds) do not have to obtain an SFOC but do have a list of operating and flight provisions.  A model aircraft cannot be operated at an altitude greater than 300 feet AGL, within controlled airspace, within restricted airspace, over or within the security perimeter to a police or first responder emergency operation site, over or within an open-air assembly of persons, at night or in cloud.  In addition, no person shall operate more than one model aircraft at a time; a model aircraft cannot be operated within specified distances of vehicles, vessels, the public, aerodromes, natural hazards or disasters; it must be operated within visual line of sight at all times; and it cannot be operated at a lateral distance of more than 1640 feet (500 m) from the operator’s location.

For UAS used for non-recreational purposes, whether a Special Flight Operations Certificate is needed is conditional on the weight of the UAS:

• If the UAS weighs more than 35 kg, an SFOC is required.
• If the UAS weighs less than 1 kg, there is an exemption from the requirement to obtain an SFOC as long as a number of conditions are met, including, without limitation, safe operation, minimum age requirement, liability insurance, no alcohol within 8 hours of operation, operation within continuous unaided visual line of sight contact, pilot training, etc.  This exemption is valid until December 31, 2019.
• If the UAS weighs more than 1 kg but less than 25 kg, there is an exemption from the requirement to obtain an SFOC as long as a number of conditions are met, including, without limitation, safe operation, minimum age requirement, liability insurance, no alcohol within 8 hours of operation, operation within continuous unaided visual line of sight contact, pilot training, etc. The conditions for this weight category are more extensive than when the UAS weighs less than 1 kg. This exemption is valid until December 31, 2019.

There is currently no fee for an SFOC.

No

Only through the requirement to hold an SFOC.

The requirement to hold an SFOC.

N/A.

There is no privacy regulation specific to UAS operation; their use is subject to existing federal, provincial, and municipal privacy laws.

N/A.

No. Transport Canada does maintain a list of compliant UAS that meet a small UAV design standard.  Use of these compliant UAS can result in an expedited application process for SFOC’s.

A foreign UAS operator must obtain an SFOC regardless of the use or weight of the UAS.

They are not regulated.

Not currently, but that issue is currently under review.

N/A.

N/A.

The operator must ensure the safe operation of the UAS and that the airworthiness requirements of the manufacturer have been complied with.

For model aircraft:

No person shall operate a model aircraft at an altitude greater than 300 feet AGL and a lateral distance of more than 1640 feet (500 m) and always within visual line of sight.

For UAS of less than 1kg:

• No person shall operate a UAS under this exemption at an altitude greater than 300 feet AGL or further than ¼ nautical mile from the pilot’s location and always within visual contact sufficient to maintain operational control of the UAS, know its location, and be able to scan the airspace in which it is operating to decisively see and avoid other air traffic or objects.

For UAS between 1 kg and 25 kg:

• No person shall operate a UAS under this exemption at an altitude greater than 300 feet AGL or further than ½ nautical mile from the pilot’s location and always within visual contact sufficient to maintain operational control of the UAS, know its location, and be able to scan the airspace in which it is operating to decisively see and avoid other air traffic or objects.

For UAS of more than 25 kg:

• As set out in the SFOC.

No

Class G airspace.

Class A and Class B are prohibited.  Operations in Class F restricted airspace are prohibited unless authorized by the SFOC.

See question 26.

NAV Canada.

No.

No

UAS operators are required to report to Transport Canada details of injuries to any person requiring medical attention, unintended contact between the UAS and persons, livestock, vehicles, vessels or other structures, unanticipated damage to the airframe, control station, payload or command and control links that adversely affects the performance or flight characteristics of the UAS, anytime the UAS is not kept within the geographic boundaries set out in the SFOC, any collision with another aircraft, anytime the UAS becomes uncontrollable, experiences a fly-away or is missing, and any other incident that results in a Canadian Aviation Daily Occurrence Report.

The Transportation Safety Board investigates aircraft and UAS accidents.

Liability insurance of at least CDN$100,000 is required if the UAS weighs more than 1 kg. Complex operations will require more than CDN$100,000 and the amount will be set out in the SFOC.

The Operator.

No

N/A.

N/A.

N/A.